Living the Dream: Tina Wells
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Name: Tina Wells
Age: 27
Location: Voorhies, N.J.
Education: B.A. in Communications from Hood College in Frederick, Md. Currently enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business.
Job Title: Founder and CEO of Buzz Marketing Group
What She Does: When companies like RCA/J Records, Nike, or MAC Cosmetics want to know what teens think of their products, Tina’s the girl they go to. She’s got a roster of more than 9,000 “Buzzspotters” at the ready to tell her what’s hot, and what’s not. As a marketing guru, Tina, along with her team, also helps clients come up with ideas and campaigns that will make them, well, buzzworthy.
How She Got Her Gig: When she was just 16, Tina began writing for a newspaper called The New Girl Times, where she wrote a lot of product reviews. The companies whose products she perused liked her ideas so much they asked her to do more. “I thought it was the greatest nonpaying job in the world,” says Tina, who soon realized that she could start charging for her expertise. Later that year, Buzz Marketing Group was born.
Required Reading: To stay up on teens and trends, Tina reads the BBC Daily News, YPulse, Brandweek Daily Newsletter, and the AdWeek Nightly News.
A Girl’s Gotta Dream: When Tina was 12, she remembers watching the show Style With Elsa Klensch on CNN. “She did a behind-the-scenes at Louis Vuitton, and I remember telling myself, ‘I will own one of those bags one day,’” she recalls. “After I bought a few, I was like, ‘Okay, I’m not doing so bad.’”
Shy Girl: With such an impressive résumé, it’s hard to believe that Tina is sometimes afraid to approach people in person. “I should be a better networker,” she says. “I know I appear to be really extroverted, but I can be a bit shy at times. Thank goodness for e-mail! I’ll figure out a clever way to talk to anyone via e-mail.”
Making Her Parents Proud: A few years ago, AOL Black Voices ranked Tina on their 10 Top Black Women in Business. “I was on the same list as Oprah!” she says. “I could have died! It was very surreal. I think my parents were pretty happy that day.”
A Day in the Life: Tina’s up and out the door by 7 a.m., when she starts her day with a Pilates lesson. “Then I’m off to Starbucks. I watch a bit of the Today show and read my BBC Daily News e-mail,” she says. Tina heads into the office around 10, where her assistant briefs her on the day’s events. “I normally have about five or six conference calls a day and a few meetings. I usually leave the office by six and then head home to make dinner. I’ll work from home until around 10 p.m., watching my favorite TV shows. Every other night I try to walk around my neighborhood and relax a little.”
Words of Wisdom: “Go with your gut. Women have an amazing natural instinct. We know when something’s not right. Also, treat people with respect, no matter what their position. We’re all important and our input is valuable.”
This Job’s for You If: You’re passionate, flexible, innovative, and know how to persevere. “I’m driven by my passion every day,” says Tina. “There are good days and bad days, but if you love what you’re doing, you’ll always get through it.”